Car construction



Allig- 1941. o. c. DURYEA ,1

CAR CONSTRUCTION Original Filed Feb. 16, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 26, 1941. o c, DURYEA 2,254,138

CAR CONSTRUCTION Original Filed Feb. 16, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 26, 1941. o. c. DURYEA CAR CONSTRUCTION 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed Feb. 16," 1939 Aug. 26, 1941. o. c. DURYE A 38 CAR CONSTRUCTION Original Filed Feb. 16, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Aug. 26, 1941.

O. C. DURYEA CAR CONSTRUCTION Original Ffiled Feb. 16, 1939 5 Shets-Sheet s Patented Aug. 26, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Otho C. Dursif 32:13:23, 22: assignor to 0. C. Duryea Corporation, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of'Delaware Original application February 16, 1939, Serial No.

'1 Claims.

This invention relates to railway car underframes of the Duryea type which provide long travel for cushioning draft and bufling forces, together with train slack of predetermined extent which is less than said long travel, and is a division of my copending application Serial No. 256,808, filed February 16, 1939.

As disclosed, for example, in U. S. Patent No. 1,693,194, dated November 27, 1928, and as em.- bodied in a form now in extensive use, the Duryea underframe embodies a draft and bufling column extending longitudinally throughout substantially the entire extent of the car body and passing slidably through alined openings in the body bolsters and cross-bearers. Hence the crossbearers and bolsters must be provided with the required openings while at the same time they must have adequate strength to support the car body and the draft and bufiing column, as well as adequate rigidity against forces acting longitudinally of the car. Generally relative movement between the column and car body is yieldingly resisted by resilient means interposed between the column and the body bolsters, but in many cases it is also desirable to provide friction between the draft and buffing column and the car body, which has the results not only of dissipating part of the energy of draft and buiiing forces but also of providing a more gradual return of the draft and bufiing column to its normal position. One manner in which this has been accomplished heretofore, as disclosed in the patent referred to above, is to support the floor of the car in part by means having frictional engagement with the draft and bufling column.

My copending application Serial No. 256,808, referred to above, relates to novel means for securing friction by supporting the floor of the car by means having frictional engagement with the longitudinally moving draft and bufiing column. The present invention, on the other hand, relates to novel cushioning means interposed between the draft and bufiing column and the car bolster to resist such longitudinal movement of the column, and its objects will appear hereinafter as the description proceeds.

One embodiment of the invention has been il- Fig.2;

lustrated in the accompanying drawings but it is to be expressly understood that said drawings are for purposes of illustration only and are not to be construed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims for this purpose.

F1Fig. 4 is a section taken on'the line 44 of Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 7 is a detail view illustrating a part of the cushioning mechanism;

Fig. 8 is an end view of the car underframe;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of one end of the car underframe;

Fig. 10 is a section taken on the line Ill-l0 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a section taken on the line ll-ll of Fig, 9, and

Fig. 12 is a section on the line I2I2 of Fig. 9.

The general arrangeinent of the car underframe may comprise the usual or any suitable combination of end and side sills, body bolsters, diagonal braces, and cross-bearers intermediate the bolsters. In the form shown in Fig. 9, the underframe comprises an end sill l, side sills 2, body bolsters one of which is indicated generally at 3, and one or more cross-bearers intermediate the bolsters which are indicated generally at 4 Suitable bolster construction is shown in more detail in Figs, 1-5. -As shown in these figures the bolster comprises a center brace casting 5, a top cover plate 6 extending between the side sills 2 and suitably connected to the center brace casting as by welding along the lines 1 (Fig. 2), and a bottom cover plate 8 extending between the side sills 2 beneath the center brace casting and secured to the latter in any suitable manner as by means of rivets 9. The top and bottom cover plates are connected by vertical webs or diaphragms ill to form a hollow box-like structure as shown in cross section in Fig. 12. Flanged torque arms I I extend outwardly from the bolster to the end sill I said torque arms being connected to the upper part of the center brace casting 5 by welding along the lines l2 (Fig. 4) and to the bottom cover plate by rivets l3. The rivets 9 and I3 also secure a suitable center plate M to the bolster. The webs or diaphragms III are welded to the cover plates 6 and 8 and their inner ends abut the torque arms II and are welded thereto.

It isto be understood, however, that the construction thus far dmcribed constitutes no part per se of-the present invention and that any other suitable construction may be substituted therefor.

As clearly shown in Fig. 4, the lower portion of the center brace casting 5 is of less width than the upper portion to provide bolster openings between said lower portion and the torque arms Ii. These openings l5, together with alined openings in the cross-bearers as hereinafter described, permit the longitudinal movement therethrough of a draft and buffing column which extends substantially the length of the car body and comprises a pair of spaced, suitably interconnected channel members i6, i5, one extending through each of the openings I5. As shown, these channels are connected at their ends by a striking plate casting i1 (Figs. 1a, 2a and 8) and are guided adjacent their ends by guide plates l8 carried by the end sills i and having grooves or slots i9 in which the upper flanges of the channels l3 have sliding engagement. Intermediate the bolsters and the end sills, the channels i6 are further connected by top and bottom cover plates and 2| (Figs. 2 and 2a) and between the bolsters they are connected by top and bottom cover plates 22 and 23. At the bolsters, however, the draft and buffing column is open at top and bottom so that the channels I6 slidably embrace the lower portions of the center brace castings as shown in Fig. 4. To provide additional strength and rigidity adjacent the bolsters, the channels i6 may be suitably strengthened as-by bars 24 welded to the webs of the channels.

suitable oversolid st0ps-are provided to limit the maximum movement of the draft and bufilng column relative to the bolsters. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the outer stop comprises a U-shaped member 25 the vertical legs of which extend within the channels [5, i5 and are preferably welded thereto and the top horizontal portion of which constitutes a further connection between the channels and is also welded to the top cover plate 20 as indicated at 26 in Fig. 2. The outer side of the center brace casting 5 is provided with a U-shaped striking face 21 as shown' clearly in Fig. 5 which conforms to the shape of the stop member 25 and against which said stop member is adapted to engage to-limit the maximum inward movement of the draft and bufiing column. The inner stop comprises a similar U-shaped member 28 secured by welding at 29 to the webs of the channels i6 (Fig. 3) and at 30 to the top cover plate 22, the inner side of the center brace casting 5 being provided with a similar U-shaped striking face 3| adapted to be engaged by the stop 28 to limit the maximum outward movement of the draft and buffing column. Preferably the inner stop 28 is also adapted as hereinafter described to cooperate with the cushioning mechanism and to this end it is provided with angles 32 welded thereto at 33.

Yielding means preferably comprising both resilient and frictional elements are interposed between the car body and the draft and bumng column to cushion draft and bufllng forces. As shown in Figs. 1, 1a. 2 and 2a these yielding means comprise a spring 34 extending outwardly from the bolster toward the end of the car and arranged to be compressed on both outward and inward movement of the draft and bufiing column. A link 35 extends through the spring 34 and is provided at its outer end with a head 36 engaging and holding the outer end of the spring 34. The outer end portions of the spring and link are housed in and guided and supported by a casting welded to the draft and bumng column for transmitting draft and bumng forces from the coupler to said column. The upper and lower horizontal walls 31 and the inner vertical walls 38 of said casting form a housing and support for the spring 34. The upper and lower edges of the outer vertical walls 39 project into contact with and are welded at 49 to the channels i9. To provide greater weld length in a longitudinal direction, the walls 31 and 39 may be shaped to extend the weld lines 40 inwardly beyond the inner vertical walls 38 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. As shown in Fig. la the outer vertical walls 39 also extend outwardly beyond the inner vertical walls 38 to provide a pocket 4| for a follower plate 42 which engages the head 39 of the link 35, said follower plate being retained in said pocket by lugs 43 (Fig. 2a). Outwardly of the follower pocket 4| the vertical walls 39 are continued to provide arms 44 welded to the channels it along their edges as shown at 45 and provided .with ribs 45 extending through openings in the chan nels l6 and defining openings 41 for a coupler key 48. A suitable coupler 49 is provided with an opening through which the key 48 passes. the butt of the coupler engaging the follower plate 42.

Preferably the coupler 49 is connected to the draft and builing column in such a manner as to provide a predetermined limited amount of train slack on bufi but none on draft. The coupler is normally maintained in the position shown in Fig. 1a by the spring 34. On draft the coupler 49 pulls directly on the inner edge of the key 48, the outer edge of which is in engagement with the ribs 46 whereby the draft force is transmitted through the spring housing to the draft and bufiing column without train slack. When the coupler 49 is subjected to a bufling force, however, it moves inwardly relative to the key 48 by reason of the fact that the opening 50 is of greater extent than the key 48, and thereafter the coupler and key together can move inwardly relative to the draft and buiilng column by reason of the fact that the openings 41 are of greater extent than the key 48. The extent of this train slack movement of the coupler is limited by the engagement of the follower plate 42 with the ends of the walls 31 and 38, the spacing of the follower plate from these elements predetermining the train slack. As the follower plate 42 moves inwardly it engages and moves the head 36 of the link 35, thereby compressing the spring 34 to cushion the movement of the coupler.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, the central portion of the center brace casting 5 is provided with walls 5! supported by vertical webs 52 and defining a substantially rectangular opening through which the link 35 passes. The inner end of the link has a slot 53 through which extends a key 54 adapted to engage the inner face of the bolster and thereby to prevent outward movement of the outer end of the spring 34. Preferably spring 34 is installed under compression in order to maintain the coupler key and coupler in the normal position shown in Fig. 1a, and to allow for wear the key 54 is initially spaced slightly fromv the inner face of the bolster as indicated at 55, For installation under compression, the link 35 is provided with shoulders 56 and the inner end of the spring bears against a two-part gag washer 51. The spring may be assembled on the link, compressed in a press, and held in compressed condition by inserting gags betweenthe shoulders 56 and the gag washer l. After installation the first buffing force which compresses the spring also frees the gags which then drop out, leaving the parts in the position shown in the drawing.

Suitable follower means are provided for the inner end of the spring 34 which in the form shown comprise a follower casting 58 illustrated in Fig. 7. This casting is substantially cylindrical and is provided with longitudinal slots 59 whereby it may be passed through an opening in the bolster, surrounding the walls 5! with the slots 59 slidably embracing the vertical webs 52 as shown in Fig. 4. The head of the follower casting 58 is provided with an opening 60 for the passage of the link 35. The inner end of the casting 58 comprises striking surfaces 6! alined with and adapted to be engaged by suitable stop members secured to the draft and buffing column on the inner side of the bolster. Preferably these stop members are formed as part of the inner oversolid stop 28 and comprise the angles 32 above described.

The yielding cushioning means described above coperates with friction means as disclosed and claimed in my copending application described above, which, in the form shown (Figs. 2, 3, 9, 10 and 11), comprise a horizontal bar or plate 62 extending between the bolsters through the openings in the cross-bearers and adapted to engage the top cover plate 22 of the draft and bufling column, said bar also constituting a central fioor support whereby the weight of the car body and its lading is effective to maintain frictional engagement between said bar or plate and column. As shown in Fig. 2, the ends of the bar 62 are suitably connected to the bolsters by welding them to lugs 63 which extend inwardly from the bolsters. Secured in any suitable manner to the car floor, which is indicated at 64, are longitudinal stringers 65 which act as filler blocks to transmit the weight of the car body and its lading to the bar 62. As shown in Figs. 9 and 10, said stringers 65 are in lengths which extend between each pair of adjacent crossbearers and between the end cross-bearers and the adjacent bolsters. It will be understood that any suitable number of these stringers can be employed.

The construction of the cross-bearers is illustrated in Figs. 9, 10 and 11. They comprise top bars 66, here shown as Z-bars, which extend transversely of the car between the end sills 2 above the draft and buifing column. The central portions of said bars 66 support the car flooring- 64, but the portions of said bars intermediate the center and sides of the car are depressed at 61 and intermediate floor supports 68, also here shown as Z-bars, extend longitudinally of the car over the depressed portions 61. The bars 66 preferably are suitably secured to the cross-bearers as by means of rivets 69, and the ends of said bars are suitably secured to the bolsters as by riveting them at 10 (Fig. 12) to lugs II, whereby said bars also constitute longitudinal tie members for the under-frame. The cross-bearers also comprise bottom bars 12, here shown'as Z-bars, which extend between the end sills 2 beneath the draft and bufling column. Vertical webs or diaphragms I3 connect the top bars 66 and bottom bars 12, said webs 13 being preferably welded to said bars and terminating in flanges 14 adjacent the center of the car. Hence the openings in the crossbearers for the draft and bufling column are formed by the bars 61 and I2 and by the flanges M of the web plates 13.

In order to avoidsubjecting the cross-bearers to longitudinal forces due to the movement of the draft and bufling column, means are provided to support and guide the column through the cross-bearers whereby such longitudinal forces are substantially eliminated and at the same time additional friction is obtained to aid in yieldingly resisting the movement of the column. To these ends the column is supported by and slides on members which extend continuously between the bolsters and are in turn supported by the cross-bearers. Preferably these members comprise angles 15 extending through the lower corners of the openings in the cross-bearers suitably secured to the cross-bearers as by riveting them at I6 to the flanges 14. The angles 15 preferably extend continuously between and in Figures 1, 3, 4 and 5, they may be extended through the bolster openings to the outer face of the bolster and connectedto the vertical webs of the torque arms II by means of rivets 11. Hence the angles 15 not only support and guide the draft and buffing column throughout its entire length intermediate the bolsters, but also constitute tie members connecting the bolsters and cross-bearers in a longitudinal direction. If desired, the bar 62 may constitute a further longitudinal tie member by suitably connecting it to the cross-bearers.

The operation will be understood from the foregoing description and may be briefly summarized as follows:

When a draft force is applied to the coupler 49, the outward movement of the coupler is transmitted without train slack to the draft and buffing column,causing it to move outwardly through 40 the bolsters and cross-bearers. The outer end of the spring 34 is held against movement by the head 36 of the link 35, the key 54 engaging the inner face of the center brace casting. The stops 32 engage the faces 6| of the follower casting 58,

moving said follower castihg outwardly with the column and thereby compressing the spring 34 against the head of the link and resiliently resisting the movement of the draft and buffing column. At the same time the movement of said column is frictionally resisted by the friction between the bar 62 and the top cover plate 22 of the draft and bufiing column, and by friction between the column and the angles 15, which frictional engagements are maintained by the weight of the car and its lading. If the draft force is great enough, the outward movement of the draft and buffing column will be limited by engagement of the inner oversolid stop 28 with the inner face 3| of the center brace casting. Normally, however, the energy of the draft force will be absorbed and dissipated before this engagement takes place, whereupon the column will be returned to its normal position by expansion of the spring 34, this return movement being gradual 5 due to the friction between the column and the bar 62 and angles 15.

When a bufling force is applied to the coupler 49, said coupler first moves inwardly relative to the draft and bufiing column throughout its train slack travel, compressing the spring due to the engagement of the follower plate 42 with the link head 36 as above described, the inner end of the spring being supported by the center brace casting and the link 35 sliding through the bolster. Further inward movement of the coupler causes are connected to the bolsters and, as shown.

inward movement of the draft and bufling column due to the engagement of the follower plate 42 with the walls 31 and 38 of the spring housing, as well as further compression of the spring I4. The inward movement of the column is also resisted frictlonaliy by the friction between the bar 62 and the top cover plate 22 of the draft and buffing column, and by the friction between said column and the angles I5. If the buiilng force is great enough, maximum inward movement of the column will be limited by engagement of the outer oversolid stop 25 with the outer face 21 of the center brace casting. Normally, however, the energy of the buiiing force will be ab-- sorbed and dissipated before this engagement takes place whereupon the column will hereturned to normal position by expansion of the spring 34, the return movement being gradual due to the friction between the column and the bar 62 and angles 15.

Since the draft and buiflng column is supported by the continuous angles 15, any longitudinal forces due to the friction of the column sliding on said angles will be absorbed by the angles themselves without substantial longitudinal forces on the cross-bearers. At the same time the cross-bearers are tied together in a longitudinal direction by the angles 15, as well as by the floor supports 68 and, if desired, by the bar 62. Furthermore, since there is no relative movement between the bar 62 and the stringers 65, the frictional resistance to movement of the column is obtained without subjecting the car flooring to longitudinal forces.

It will be seen that this construction of the cushioning mechanism, the cross-bearer construction, and the longitudinal supports and tie members provides a strong, rigid assembly which operates effectively to produce the desired results of cushioning the movement of the draft and bufllng column both frictionally and resiliently while reducing the forces to which the various parts are subjected in service. At the same time these results are accomplished with a simple, readily assembled structure having fewer parts than constructions heretofore employed and enabling substantial reductions in both cost and weight.

While only one embodiment of the inventionhas been described and illustrated in the drawings, it will be understood that the invention is not restricted to this embodiment and it will now be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the form, details of construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention. Reference should therefore be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a railway car, the combination of a body bolster, a draft and bufiing column extending longitudinally of the car and passing slidably through said bolster, yielding means extending outwardly from the outer side of the bolster toward the end of the car for resisting relative movement between said column and bolster, a link extending slidably through the bolster and connecting the inner side of the bolster with the outer end of said yielding means, follower means between the inner end of said yielding means and the outer side of the bolster, means for connecting said link and column on inward movement of the column for compressing said yielding means against said follower means,

said follower means having an extension passing inwardly through said bolster, and a stop on said column on the inner side of the bolster and adapted to engage said extension on outward movement of the column to move said follower means outwardly and compress said yielding means against the outer end of said link.

2. In a railway car, the combinaiton of a body bolster, a draft and bufllng column extending longitudinally of the car and passing slidably through said bolster, a coupler mounted at the end of said column for movement of limited extent relative to said column and for further movement with said column, yielding means extending outwardly from the outer side of said bolster toward the end of the car, a link passing slidably through the bolster and connecting the inner side of the bolster and the outer end of said yielding means, follower means interposed between the inner end of said yielding means and the outer side of said bolster and having an extension passing inwardly through the bolster, stop means on said column on the inner side of the bolster and adap d to engage said extension on outward mov ent of said column to move said follower means outwardly and compress said yielding means against the outer end of said link, and means whereby inward movement of said coupler is transmitted to the outer end of said link.

3. In a railway car, the combination of a body bolster, a draft and bufling column extending longitudinally of the ear and passing slidably through said bolster, a coupler mounted at the end of said column for movement of limited extent relative to said column and for further movement with said column, yielding means extending outwardly from the outer side of said bolster toward the end of the car, said bolster having an abutment with an opening therethrough and also having openings at the sides of said abutment, follower means interposed between the inner end of said yielding means and the outer side of said abutment, part of said follower means extending through said side openings to the inner side of said bolster, a link extending slidably through the opening in said abutment and connecting the inner side of the bolster with the outer end of said yielding means, a stop on said column on the inner side of the bolster and adapted to engage said part of said follower means on outward movement of said column to move said follower means outwardly and compress said yielding means against the outer end of said link, and means for transmitting inward movement of said coupler to the outer end of said link.

4. In a railway car, the combination of a body bolster, a draft and builing column extending longitudinally of the car and comprising spaced members passing slidably through said bolster, said bolster between said members comprising an abutment having an opening therethrough and also comprising an opening outside of said abutment, yielding means comprising a spring extending outwardly from the outer side of said bolster toward the end of the car, a follower plate interposed between the inner end of said spring and the outer end of said abutment and having an opening aligned with the opening through said abutment, a link extending slidably through the openlngs in said abutment and follower plate and through said spring and conhosting the inner end of said abutment with the outer end of said yielding means, a coupler mounted on said column, means for transmitting inward movement of said coupler to the outer end of said link, an extension on said follower plate passing slidably through said outside opening to the inner side of the bolster, and stop means on said column on the inner side of said by one or more longitudinal webs, yielding means comprising a spring extending outwardly from the outer side of the bolster toward the end of the car, a follower plate interposed between the outer end of said abutment and the inner end of saidspring and having an opening aligned with the opening ,through said abutment, a link extending slidably through the openings in said abutment and follower plate and through said spring and connecting the inher end of said abutment with the outer end of said spring, a coupler mounted on said column,

means for transmitting inward movement of.

said coupler to the outer end of said link, said follower plate having inward extensions slidably embracing one of said webs and passing through said bolster, and stop means on said column on the inner side of said bolster and adapted to engage said extensions on outward movement of said column to move said follower plate out-,

wardly and compress said yielding means against the outer end of said link. 6. In a railway car, the combination of a bod bolster, a draft and buifing column extending longitudinally of the car and comprising spaced members passing slidably through said bolster, said bolster between said members comprising an abutment connected to adjacent bolster structure by one or more longitudinal webs, yielding means comprising a spring extending outwardly from the outer end of said abutment toward the end of the car, follower means interposed between the inner end of said spring and the outer end of said abutment, means connecting said bolster with the outer end of said spring, a coupler on said column, means for transmitting inward movement of said coupler to the outer end of said spring, said follower means having extensions passing inwardly through the bolster and slidably embracing one of said webs, and stop means on said column on the inner side of the bolster and adapted to engage said extensions on outward movement of said column to move said follower means outwardly and compress said yielding means against the outer end of said link.

7. In a railway car, the combination of a body bolster, a draft and bufling column extending longitudinally of the car and passing slidably through said bolster, yielding means extending outwardly from the outer side of the bolster toward the end of the car for resisting relative movement between said column and bolster, a

link extending slidably through the bolster and connecting the inner side ofthe bolster with the outer end of said yielding means, follower means between the inner end of said yielding means and the outer side of the bolster, means for connecting said link and column on inward movemnt of the column for compressing said yielding means against said follower means, said follower means having an extension passing inwardly through .said bolster, and stop means on said column on the inner side of the bolster and adapted to engage the bolster to limit outward movement of the column relative thereto, part of said stop means being adapted to engage said extension on outward movement of the column to move said follower means outwardly and compress said yielding means against the outer end of said link.

OTHO C. DURYEA. 

